The article discusses a shift in the equestrian industry where horse show success has become the primary goal rather than a measure of training progress. Dr. Holly Helbig highlights how this focus on winning, especially in early riding stages, can undermine true horsemanship by prioritizing technical correctness—such as hitting diagonals in walk-trot classes—over developing feel, confidence, and connection with the horse. She argues that this emphasis creates bad habits that riders struggle to unlearn and detracts from the deeper learning and intuition-building essential to horsemanship.

Helbig advocates for redefining success in riding by valuing connection, confidence, and responsibility over ribbons and perfect scores. She encourages allowing young riders to take ownership of horse care, observe veterinary practices, and engage more deeply with their horses beyond competition. By shifting the focus back to learning and enjoyment rather than perfection and winning, she believes riders and horses can avoid burnout and foster genuine progress, making success in the ring a reflection of good horsemanship rather than its sole definition.